Globes spread the wealth as ‘American Hustle,’ ‘Gravity’ and ’12 Years a Slave’ win major awards

Typically it’s easy enough to gauge where the Hollywood Foreign Press Association is going to lean. It’s a small enough group and there are enough of their whisperers out there that usually long before the show, more or less, everyone has a pretty good idea. But this year things were all over the place and the younger members of the group exemplify some shifting tastes. So we ended up with a love-spreading evening that dotted all the t’s and crossed all the i’s.

One thing going into the awards that was making the rounds was that the group were not big collective fans of Steve McQueen’s “12 Years a Slave.” And indeed, throughout most of the evening, it appeared the film might be headed for a shut-out. There must have been a thick nervous air hanging in the FOX viewing party tent in the Hilton parking lot, but by now at the after-soiree, spirits are surely high with relief. But the vote must have been very close.

Indeed, the HFPA spread the love about as much as they possibly could have. “American Hustle,” “Dallas Buyers Club,” “Gravity,” “12 Years a Slave” and “The Wolf of Wall Street” all received major wins. The director prize didn’t even go to one of the Best Picture winners. That’s not totally uncommon, of course, because they like to get as many people up on that stage as possible, but one single prize for the Best Picture – Drama winner? Again, it must have been close. And the only major Best Picture play that went away empty-handed was “Captain Phillips.” (“Nebraska also turned up a goose egg but doesn’t appear to be in the hunt for the Best Picture Oscar win in any case.)

Do Golden Globe wins do anything to shake up an Oscar race? Not really. Sometimes you can knock a speech out of the park and corral some extra love as a result, but no one really did that tonight. And anyway, Oscar ballots were already in, so the nominations have been decided.

All of that said, I do think Matthew McConaughey may have auditioned for an Oscar win tonight with his speech (as much as he could get out before being played off by the orchestra like everyone else, that is). A screenplay win for a movie like “Her” certainly helps box office-wise as it expands wider. “American Hustle’s” dominance (a field-leading three trophies) embosses it as a winner heading into phase two, and hey, Oscar voters like to know they’re voting for winners. So that’ll help.

But for the most part, no, this isn’t some major needle-mover or barometer. Even last year, when “Argo” caught its stride first at the CCMAs then at the Globes, I submit its fate was already sealed.

So no need to over-analyze things like Alex Ebert’s Best Original Score win or “The Great Beauty” snatching the Best Foreign Language Film prize. It’s all just another run on the awards season ladder, and as they tend to do when we have a close race like we do this year, the Globes just kept the door open for everyone.

The Oscar nominations come Thursday. That night, the Critics’ Choice awards (the next big televised awards show). By this time next week, we’ll have some more direction, but this promises to remain a contentious season right through the next phase. The three-way race between “American Hustle,” “Gravity” and “12 Years a Slave” is most certainly on.

If you want to relive the night, be sure to read through Dan Fienberg’s live-blog of the ceremony. We’ll have best and worst for you later.

Stay tuned later tonight for Greg’s party coverage. (Alas, this was the first year in a number of them that I couldn’t make it out to the show and after-party circuit. This bug that everyone has? Yeah, I have it, too.)

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Nice to see THE GREAT BEAUTY win. Hopefully, a good sign at the Oscars. A film that will outlast many of the “most talked about” movies of 2013.

By: Sean_C

01.13.2014 @ 4:43 AM

Having observed some of the reactions to “12 Years”‘ early losses, one part of me is rooting for it to win just so we don’t have to undergo a barrage of “12 Years didn’t win because Hollywood is racist” coverage.

By: Andrew F

01.13.2014 @ 4:44 AM

The top winners seem like they’ll be the Oscar winners, too: 12 Years, Cuaron, Blanchett, McConnaughey, Lawrence and Leto. I think Lawrence is the weak one there, but otherwise…

By: The Dude

01.13.2014 @ 4:48 AM

I don’t think this award changes much for McConaughey, because the Globes went into star ass-kissing mode as usual. If Di Caprio and Lawrence had lost, it might have been more significant, but I don’t think it will have much impact.

By: Edwin

01.13.2014 @ 4:50 AM

I’ve been following the Oscars for 15 years, and one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is to never predict a Picture/Director split. I’ve done it 3 times, and I’ve been wrong each time (last year being an obvious exception). Sometimes they go for splits, but the frequency is not such that I’d advise anyone to actually predict one.

By: KristopherTapley

01.13.2014 @ 4:57 AM

The award isn’t the thing. The face time on TV is.

By: JJ1

01.13.2014 @ 12:04 PM

I think McConaughey is always charming. So I dont think this particular speech did anything to solidify anything necessarily.

By: JLPatt

01.13.2014 @ 4:51 AM

They have got to do something about the orchestra. They just have to. Knowing you’re going to be played off within 20 seconds absolutely KILLS whatever possibly great speech you could give. Totally kills it. There’s nothing like having to speak to a ticking clock. What on earth do they expect these people to say in the time they give them? What *can* they say?

By: JoeS

01.13.2014 @ 5:23 AM

I always hate it when a winner achievees what may well be their personal career high, if not their lifetimes by winning such an award and is robbed of their moment by the orchestra. Not to mention it’s doubly galling because they have no problem with presenters vamping or do a 3 or 4 minute sketch with Amy Poehler playing a teen boy.

By: Paul Outlaw

01.13.2014 @ 5:09 AM

If that was a preview of Matthew McC’s Oscar accepatance speech, I’ll be seriosuly rooting for Ejiofor (and DiCaprio, asuuming he’s nomianted).

By: JLPatt

01.13.2014 @ 5:28 AM

Bad logic. For me, McConaughey might as well be proven to be a child molester and I’d still root for his winning the Oscar, because it’s the best performance of all the contenders.

By: Paul Outlaw

01.13.2014 @ 5:55 AM

If I agreed with you about it being (far and away) the best, I wouldn’t havw written that comment. But I was rooting for all three to win until that speech, which was quite the turn-off. Right now I’m just rooting for Leo to get nominated, to keep the race interesting.

By: Jones

01.13.2014 @ 6:42 AM

I agree. Same experience here. Never had any interest (positive or negative) in McConaughey, and while admirable, I wouldn’t declare his performance in DBC, the best among the other potential nominees. But yes, awful speech. It came across as arrogant. And I was a bit embarrassed by it, even.

By: JJ1

01.13.2014 @ 12:05 PM

Right? As I said before, hes just naturally charming. But something about the speech just felt a little ‘not his usual charming, effortless self’? I dunno.

By: Paul Outlaw

01.13.2014 @ 6:50 PM

For me, the speech combined the worst elements of Hollywood self-congratulation, actorly narcissism and Texas frat-boy cockiness. Which may be the essence of McC’s appeal to some, but not so much to me.

By: Kate

01.13.2014 @ 7:52 PM

I thought Jared Leto’s speech was just as self-absorbed and vapid as McConaughey’s. “Brazilian bubble butt?” Patting himself on the back for waxing?

By: JJ1

01.13.2014 @ 7:57 PM

Yeah, both speeches just felt a bit off. Is there any insider info on if these 2 actors are well-liked inside the Academy? I know that question sounds broad. And I know that someone like Monique overcame her lessened-campaigning and somewhat spiky demeanor to win big. But because theyve never ever registered with AMPAS before, I really wonder if certain circles of AMPAS voters may not be into them much. Just spitballing thoughts/opinions.

By: Paul Outlaw

01.13.2014 @ 8:09 PM

Point taken, Kate. Although to give both of them benefit of the doubt, most of the ceremony I found myself saying, “Friends don’t let friends drink and give acceptance speeches.” (Jacqueline Bisset…)

By: Michael

01.13.2014 @ 5:25 AM

I’m tired of racism of HFPA. Not award for Lupita but yes to overacted foolish teenage diva jlaw, nothing to Chiwetel Ejiofor but yes to overacted McConaughey in homophobic Dallas Buyers Club because always in LGBT movies there are sick people with wild sexual life.
I hope BFCA goes for Lupita and Ejiofor if they are truly critics.

By: John G.

01.13.2014 @ 5:40 AM

Oh boy…

By: Michael

01.13.2014 @ 5:59 AM

Oh boy what John G.?

By: John G.

01.13.2014 @ 6:28 AM

You’re paranoid

By: Marv

01.13.2014 @ 2:07 PM

Micheal, wasn’t this the same organization that Jennifer Hudson, Eddie Murphy, Forest Whitiker, Jamie Foxx etc. etc. won awards with?? Although I thought Nyongo should have won; maybe they simply just thought that Lawerence gave the better performance?

I’m African-American and loved 12 years; but! Let’s throw this racism moniker at things that have “Truly” proven to be racist.

When we arbitrary through that racism word out without much proof of it; we do a disservice to future causes for equality.

By: Michael

01.13.2014 @ 2:13 PM

The power makes the african-american people leave to question the racism in the society and media and there are who fell into the trap, but I don’t, and what happened in Golden Globes is racism althouth you can’t accept it.

By: Marv

01.13.2014 @ 2:19 PM

You’re right Micheal! I’m blind. I’ll just let you be paranoid about an awards show; while I’ll stick to using that word for a greater cause in society.

By: Michael

01.13.2014 @ 3:54 PM

The effect of the media is a great cause in society, in fact is the most important in western civilization.

By: someperson

01.13.2014 @ 6:09 AM

“And the only major Best Picture play that went away empty-handed was “Captain Phillips.” (“Nebraska also turned up a goose egg but doesn’t appear to be in the hunt for the Best Picture Oscar win in any case.)”

Out of curiosity, how is Captain Phillips a bigger best picture play than Nebraska?.

By: KristopherTapley

01.13.2014 @ 6:11 AM

Way more industry precursor support, including DGA and BAFTA.

By: JJ1

01.13.2014 @ 12:07 PM

I think the overall picture (GG, critics, Academy, whomever) is that Capt Phillips, which is loved, and Nebraska, which is loved, just dont have the Top 3 power, it seems.

By: Authorized

01.13.2014 @ 7:05 AM

It certainly wasn’t looking good for 12 Years a Slave going into the final award. The win for McConaughey over Ejiofor had me thinking it may come up empty especially with Dallas Buyers Club not nominated for Drama. McConaughey is the big movie star of the 2 though and it’s a similar story for Lawrence over Nyong’o. I do wonder if this could be the pattern of the season as the star factor certainly worked for Sandra Bullock with The Blind Side. The SAG awards will tell us a lot next week.

It’s difficult to say with real confidence what will win Best Picture. My opinion right now is 12 Years a Slave most likely but I do wonder whether McQueen’s full on style of Direction could cost it. I’m sceptical of Academy voters going with Gravity for the win and while American Hustle is entertaining, I’d question if it’s a strong enough film to take home the prize. If there’s a split with the PGA/DGA this will go to the wire with nobody sure.

The classiest moment of the night for me was Leo’s tip of the hat to Bruce Dern, a real nice touch.

By: JJ1

01.13.2014 @ 12:20 PM

I have no doubt that plenty of the HPFA didnt love 12YAS. Thats kind of evident in no Ejiofor or Nyongo. And its evident that they reallllly liked AH (Best Pic, Adams, JLaw). And Cuaron/Gravity,,well, how can you not love that Director win.

All that said, 12YAS did receive 7 noms and won BP Drama. So plenty of these guys liked/admired/loved 12YAS enough.

Futhermore, I feel like people forget that its a race with actual,vote totals. When something like Lawrence wins over Nyongo, its not like 90 people voted formLawrence. It was probably quite close. When McConaughey beat Ejiofor, probably VERY close. The HFPA love Ejiofor ( nommed before, nommed TWICE this year. Annnnnd, while they clearly loved AH … They didnt love it enough to starfuck Bradley Cooper up there or even Mr. O’Russell. Very Interesting.

I love that they spread the wealth. And while Gravity must have been very close to winning BP, it missed Score, and as mentioned, Im sure 12YAS showed strength throughout the categories in coming in 2nd or 3rd in nearly every category. This is not a year for landslides for anybody.

Other random thoughts:

-accepting an award looked very good on Amy Adams. Cant believe she hasnt won a TV award before last night (deserved to for The Fighter). But again, that was no runaway victory for AH. Im sure Meryl was breathing down her neck in the vote totals.

-And finally, Margot Robbie. Damn. Haha

Good show overall. Tina/Amy are great hosts. Oscar noms and the BFCAs next. Exciting times. :)

By: Patrick

01.13.2014 @ 12:24 PM

Gravity’s gonna win.

Because AACTA (closest thing to consensus vote so far; 20x more voters than HFPA) picked Gravity,
Because neither 12YAS nor AH won director/screenplay at GGs,
Because I’m not predicting a split; I’m less confident about who wins Picture and far more confident that Cuaron wins Director.

By: daveylo

01.13.2014 @ 3:27 PM

I think DiCaprio came off very well in his speech. I hope he’s nominated this year. If so, I think we’ll be see a lot of promotion of his performance in the weeks to come because it’s an award the film could win.

By: leduffpascal

01.14.2014 @ 4:01 PM

I found this funny thing on the Globes website ( [www.hfpa.org] ) . Look at the crédits of the 12 years a slave photo, especially the name of the blonde actress formerly known as Sarah Paulson… Nice…